Switching between different types of top-mounted camera mounts can be a source of delay during filming. It can easily take several minutes to disconnect a camera from one top mount and then reconnect the camera to another top mount, depending, in part, upon mount types and fasteners used.
Body-mounted camera stabilizing systems, such as the STEADICAM® line of camera stabilizing systems, sold by The Tiffen Company of Hauppauge, N.Y., and competing systems sold by Xtended Camera Support Inc. of Thousand Oaks, Calif. and GPI Pro Systems of Valencia, Calif. (collectively hereinafter, body-mounted camera stabilizing systems are referred to as “Steadicam systems” or singularly as a “Steadicam system”), often include a low mode mount, which is mounted onto the top of a camera. Unfortunately, changing over from an initial top mount to the low mode mount of a Steadicam system involves several steps.
The steps involved during the changeover from an initial top mount to a low mode mount can delay production. And these delays easily run up the cost of filming. While camera crews are working diligently to changeover camera top mounts, others on set are often left standing around until the changeover is complete. A system that enables the camera crew to quickly changeover from one type of camera top mount to a low mode mount of a Steadicam system is, therefore, desirable.